Prosecutors say body-camera footage shows Glenwood Pysher IV unarmed with his hands raised before Sean Farrell fired twice.
NORRISTOWN, Pa. — A Pennsylvania police corporal has been charged with voluntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old college student who mistakenly went to the wrong home while looking for friends, prosecutors said. The officer has since retired from the Upper Pottsgrove Police Department.
Sean Farrell, 58, is charged in the Aug. 23 death of Glenwood Earl Pysher IV. Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said investigators reviewed Farrell’s body-worn camera footage and concluded that deadly force was not justified. Prosecutors said Pysher was unarmed, had his hands raised and was about 17 to 20 feet from Farrell when two shots were fired. The charge is an allegation, and Farrell has not been convicted.
The encounter began after Pysher spent the evening with friends who were celebrating a 21st birthday, according to prosecutors and court documents described by local news organizations. A designated driver later brought members of the group to a friend’s home. Authorities said Pysher left around 11:30 p.m. intending to walk about a half-mile to another friend’s residence but became confused and arrived at the wrong home on Snyder Road in Upper Pottsgrove Township.
Investigators said Pysher went to the rear patio and apparently believed he had reached his friend’s house. The residents were awakened by activity outside and called 911 because they believed someone might be trying to enter their home. According to the criminal complaint, Pysher sent friends a photograph of the house. His friends realized he was at the wrong address, and Pysher shared his location so they could come get him. Farrell arrived before they did.
Farrell was the first officer at the residence shortly after 12:29 a.m., according to investigators. Prosecutors said body-camera footage shows Farrell walking down the driveway with his department-issued handgun drawn before positioning himself behind a vehicle. After seeing Pysher on the patio, Farrell identified himself as police and ordered Pysher to show his hands, raise them and get on the ground.
Authorities said Pysher raised his hands and began walking toward the officer as Farrell continued telling him to get down. Farrell issued another command and then began a warning before firing twice, according to prosecutors’ description of the recording. Pysher was struck in the chest and died. No firearm or other weapon was found on him. Steele said Farrell was behind cover and at what prosecutors considered a safe distance when the shots were fired.
Steele said Farrell had less-lethal equipment available, including a Taser, and prosecutors allege the circumstances did not justify the use of deadly force. “This is not a legal use of lethal force,” Steele said while announcing the charge. The Montgomery County Detective Bureau investigated the shooting and relied heavily on the body-camera recording in reaching its findings.
Investigators also pointed to a difference between what Farrell allegedly told another officer after the shooting and what prosecutors say the video shows. According to the criminal complaint, Farrell said Pysher had charged toward him while yelling and refusing to get down. Prosecutors said the body-camera footage instead shows Pysher approaching with his hands raised and does not show him charging Farrell or acting aggressively. Farrell’s defense will have an opportunity to challenge the prosecution’s interpretation of the recording and other evidence in court.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office ruled Pysher’s death a homicide, according to local reporting. That classification describes the manner of death and does not by itself determine criminal liability. Pysher, known by relatives and friends as “Bubba,” had played baseball at Northampton Community College and transferred to Saint Elizabeth University in New Jersey. His family said he planned to continue playing baseball during his senior year and hoped to become a history teacher.
Pysher’s death drew renewed scrutiny after his family described him as having realized his mistake and waiting for friends to retrieve him. His funeral was held Aug. 31, one day before prosecutors announced the charge against Farrell. Family members and their attorney have said they want accountability for the shooting, while the criminal case will determine whether prosecutors can prove the charge against Farrell beyond a reasonable doubt.
Farrell surrendered to Montgomery County detectives after the charge was filed. Magisterial District Judge Kathleen Rebar set bail at $75,000, according to published reports, and Farrell was required to surrender his weapons to Pennsylvania State Police as a condition of release. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10, when prosecutors are expected to present evidence supporting the charge and seek to have the case proceed.
Upper Pottsgrove officials said Farrell was suspended without pay Sept. 1 after he was charged. On Sept. 2, he submitted his voluntary retirement from the police department, effective immediately, ending a tenure that began in 2005. Township officials said they would continue cooperating with prosecutors and would continue an internal review of department policies, training and field responses as the criminal case moves forward.
Author note: Last updated September 2, 2026.